How to: Starting on all fours, place your hands shoulder-distance apart. Activate your arms and draw your butt up and back. Press your heels firmly toward the ground, and lengthen your legs. Feel your lower back straighten. Relax your head and neck, and gaze toward your feet. Hold for five deep breaths, then continue to the next pose.

The benefits: Downward dog is a fantastic pose for opening up the back of the legs. This pose can help you lengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Staying flexible in these areas will minimize tension in your legs and may reduce your risk of injury.

How to: From downward dog, lift your right leg up toward the sky, then bring it forward and place your foot on the ground inside both your hands. Pivot your back foot, so it makes a 90 degree angle with your body. Rise up, and spread your arms away from each other at shoulder height. Keeping your legs still, lean toward your back leg, and let your left hand rest there. Lift your right arm toward the sky, then stretch it over your face, and behind your body. Hold for five deep breaths, then continue to the next pose.

The benefits: Warrior poses in help build a strong foundation in the legs as they work many of the major leg muscles. Reverse warrior has the added benefit of stretching out the side body and obliques. This variation opens the upper body, too.

How to: From reverse warrior, pivot your body at your torso until it's facing forward. Keep your hips square and bend your back leg to gently lower your knee onto the ground. Keep your shoulders aligned over your hips as you sweep your arms up to the sky and rest them on your front knee. Hold for five deep breaths, then continue to the next pose.

The benefits: This pose provides a luxurious stretch for your hip flexors, which are often overlooked while stretching. Tight hip flexors can contribute to lower back pain, so it's important to give them attention.

How to: From runner's lunge, reach back and grab your back leg with the opposite arm. Bend deeper into the pose. If you can't reach your foot, try using a strap. Hold for five deep breaths, then continue to the next pose.

Benefits: This pose will add a deep quadriceps stretch to your runner's lunge. Your quads tend to be one of the tightest areas post-run.

How to: From runner's lunge, lean back onto your back leg and straighten it to stand up. Straighten your front leg and reach down, placing your hands on either side of your front foot. Make sure to keep your hips pointing straight forward and your chest lifted. Blocks can help you get into this pose if you can't reach the floor. Hold for five deep breaths, then continue to the next pose.

Benefits: This pose digs deep into the hamstrings, an area that tends to be very tight in all people, especially runners. If left un-stretched, tight hamstrings can also contribute to misalignment and back pain.

How to: Lie down on your stomach. Lift your chest and legs off the ground, and grab your feet with your hands. Using your back and glute muscles, lift your body as high as you can. Hold for five deep breaths, then continue to the next pose.

Benefits: Bow pose can help open up the entire front body, including the pecs and deltoids, while increasing back flexibility and strengthening the glutes. Many runners are tight in their shoulder, and increasing flexibility here can help improve mobility.

How to: From the ground, bend your right knee and place it in line with your right hand, ankle at left. Your shin should be parallel with the front of your mat. Extend your left leg back, and rest your knee and top of foot on the ground. Square your hips and fold forward, resting your forehead on your hands. Hold for five deep breaths. Repeat the entire flow, switching sides where needed.

Benefits: Pigeon pose provides a deep stretch for your hips, which in turn helps relieve back pain and sciatica. Pigeon pose also provides an emotional release, which can be nice if you've been really pushing yourself toward a goal or race.